Secrets
by la periodista
Summary: Zelda is married and pregnant, but what if her deepest secrets were revealed to her husband? Particularly the ones regarding her continued affair with a certain hero... Ch. 6 added!
1. Chapter 1

**Hello! Welcome to my newest _Zelda_ story, and my first one with an "M" rating! Please note that this story is unrelated to my other _Zelda _stories. Also, please note that I realize that this chapter does not seem to merit the high rating, but keep in mind that this is only the first chapter. The rating is more for what I have planned in subsequent chapters.**

**Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the _Legend of Zelda_ series, in whole or in part.**

* * *

I yawned and snuggled under the covers, trying to shield myself from the cold air. I heard the door creak open, and then footsteps approaching my bed. I peered up at the stranger leaning over my bed through my half-closed eyelids.

"I missed you," I whispered.

"I missed you, too," he whispered back, his cerulean eyes shining in the bright moonlight streaming in through the windows.

He leaned over me and lightly kissed my lips. I smiled up at him, feeling the warmth of his love surrounding me. "I'll always be here for you, Zelda," he said softly as he began to undress. "Don't you ever forget that."

"I won't, Link, I promise," I told him, my grin widening as I moved over to make room for him.

He slid in under the covers, pulling me to him and covering my lips with his. I opened my mouth and welcomed his tongue, letting it glide across my teeth before it tangled with mine.

"Link," I murmured once he pulled away. "I want you."

He positioned itself on top of me, using his arms to hold himself over me. I ran my hands over his muscles, feeling every ripple and wave. He took in a deep breath as I touched him, and shivered a bit.

"Are you cold, my love?" I asked him, looking into his eyes.

"Not at all, darling. It's just your touch...you don't know what you do to me, Zelda."

He laid down flat on top of me, pulling the sheets up higher and kissing me. His lips moved to my neck as he ran his fingers through my hair. He began to trail his kisses further down, and he shifted his hands to the curve of my waist, then my hips, then lower still...

"Link, please," I begged him. "Take me now."

"Whatever you say, Princess."

* * *

Before we knew it, our little midnight tryst was over. We laid in each other's arms for a few minutes, basking in the afterglow, before deciding Link had best be leaving. 

"Good night," he whispered, giving me a kiss before getting up. "Wait, I forgot something." Link leaned over me and kissed my belly, gently patting it. "Good night to you, too, little one."

He was the only one I'd told thus far. After all, it was his child, or so I hoped.

The problem would be telling my husband that.

"You'd better go before we get caught," I told him.

"I know. I just can't let you go," Link admitted as he got dressed.

"I can't let you go, either, but I have to. If anyone ever finds out about this affair, Link-"

"I know," he cut me off. He lifted my hand to his mouth and kissed the back of it. And with that, he was gone.

Once the door closed behind him, I turned onto my right side, towards the windows. The bed was still warm from our heated encounter; I tried to absorb as much of it as I could.

I buried my face in the pillows, where his scent still lingered. I made a mental note to wash the sheets in the morning, as my husband was due back in the afternoon.

"Good night, my little baby," I whispered into the dark, gently patting my belly. I was barely six weeks along, so I hadn't even started showing yet.

I curled up and tried to fall asleep, but instead became lost in thought. I know I'm a married woman that should be devoted to my husband. And on top of that, I'm the Princess of Hyrule; what kind of example was I setting?

Yet somehow, I still find myself in the arms of Link, my true love and (hopefully) the father of my child. How wrong could it be, really, to be with him, when he was my first and still my only true love? I was with him before I even learned of my engagement to Prince Joachim of Termina.

I thought I could come to love Prince Joachim, and forget Link. But the reality is, I do not love my husband. Not as a friend, or a lover, or anything. I can hardly stand to be around him; everything about him makes my stomach turn. He is an attractive man, I will give him that. But that in itself presents even more of a problem.

You see, Joachim is a womanizer. He has been ever since I've known him; I can see it in the way he acts around other women. And his behavior has not stopped with our marriage. If anything, it's only worsened. I can nearly guarantee that he has bedded other women during our marriage, although my father thinks so highly of him, for whatever foolish reason, that I dare not say anything until I have genuine proof.

On the other hand, there's Link. I realize two wrongs do not make a right, but I do not see my affair with Link as revenge. Link just means so much to me-not only do we genuinely love each other, but our love, along with our friendship, has survived so many things. He has always been there for me, protecting me in the face of danger and saving me from fates worse than death.

I have never doubted Link's loyalty to me. He can have his pick of Hylian women, but he only has eyes for me, and I know it, as he reminds me of it regularly. He is so brave and strong, yet caring and loving. Whereas Joachim...

Joachim is a pompous, vain, womanizing leech. And that is an understatement.

Which is part of what concerns me about revealing my pregnancy to him. We have only been intimate once in our six-week marriage, and that is when we consummated it on our wedding night. And he is so full of himself that I know he will go around boasting about how virile he is, impregnating me during our first and only time.

Since that awful night, I have managed to make excuses not to be intimate with him. For one thing, he is rarely here, insisting he has many diplomatic duties to attend to. And even when he is around, I manage to convince him that I am too tired, or not feeling well. Thus far it has worked, since we've only spent about two days a week together in the last six weeks.

I sighed as I stared out the window. Joachim would be back in less than a day, and I would have to find a way to evade his advances yet again. I can't even stomach kissing him, because anytime he gets close to me I can smell other women on him. How ignorant does he think I am?

I flopped onto the other side and squeezed my eyes shut, disturbed by my line of thinking. Every time I think about the fact that I, a married woman of royal birth, am carrying on with a man outside the nobility, I start to feel guilty. Yet I still do it anyway, because Link makes me happy. Happier than anyone has ever made me.

At last I could feel sleep overcoming me. I breathed deeply, taking in Link's scent once again, before drifting off to sleep.

* * *

I awoke to the early morning sunlight streaming in through the windows. I opened my eyes and rolled onto my back, staring up at the ceiling. With a sigh, I finally got out of bed to dress for breakfast. 

I put on a green dress and tied my long, golden hair into a bun before making my way downstairs to the special dining room reserved for the royal family and its guests.

"Good morning, dearest," my father greeted me, kissing my cheek. "I hope you slept well, even without Joachim."

"I slept fine, Father," I reassured him. _And you can thank Link for that, not Joachim._

"Come, come, eat some breakfast," he said, pulling out my chair for me. I sat down and scooted the chair closer to the table, as the servants brought in platters full of meats, pastries, fruits, and eggs prepared in various ways, setting them on the table.

I piled my plate high with the delicious foods, my pregnancy beginning to tell through my heavy appetite as of late. Since Joachim would often make me feel guilty about eating so much, I dare not do it when he was around. At least my father did not seem to be bothered by it-although he often took Joachim's side, he believed my eating so much must mean that I'm happy, so he wasn't about to attempt to stop me.

Or so I thought.

"Zelda, must you eat that much?"

"Father, I'm hungry."

"That much is obvious. But why so much food?"

I sighed as my fork clattered to the plate. "Father, please, let me eat in peace. I get enough pestering about my appetite from Joachim."

"That is why I asked, Zelda. As your faithful husband, he has put much effort into looking out for you. I think you should listen when he tells you that you must better manage your appetite."

_Yes, Joachim, a faithful husband...that's a laugh._ "I can think for myself," I muttered.

"I know that, but still..."

"Father, please! If you really insist on knowing why I eat so much, and on taking Joachim's side yet again, over your own daughter, who happens to be your only child, then fine, I'll tell you!" I shouted, jumping up from my chair. "It's because I am with child!" With that, I crumpled my napkin and threw it onto my plate, then turned on my heel and stormed out of the room.

I made it upstairs to my room and slammed the door. Trying to catch my breath, I collapsed onto the bed, panting. As the tears started to roll down my face, I gave in, curling up into a ball and crying.

A few minutes later, there was a soft knock at the door.

"Go away!" I shouted.

"It's Impa," a woman's voice called back.

"Come in," I said.

I could hear my close friend and former nursemaid come in, closing the door behind her. She walked to the bed and stood there, until I finally rolled over to face her. She calmly handed me a handkerchief to dry my eyes. After doing so, I sat up, and allowed her to pull me into a comforting hug.

"Whatever is the matter, Your Highness?"

"I'm so tired of my father taking Joachim's side all the time. And he angered me so much at breakfast that I made the mistake of revealing to him that I'm pregnant."

"Oh, I see. Does Link know?"

My eyes widened.

"Please, Princess, I've known all along," Impa explained.

"Well, in that case, yes, he knows. In fact, he was the only one I told. I intended it to remain that way for awhile longer, but my slip-up this morning certainly changed that."

"Your Grace, I know you probably do not want to hear this right now, but you must take action."

I glared at her. "Are you saying that I must keep away from Link? He is the father of my child! I am almost completely sure of that!"

"No, Princess, that is not necessarily what I meant. I want you to follow what's in your heart. If you want to stay faithful to your husband at all costs, then by all means, do so. However, if you feel you belong with Link, then stay with him. But you can not carry on with two men. It is unfair to both of them, and to your unborn child, and to the kingdom as a whole. You must make up your mind."

"I don't know what to do," I whined.

"First of all, think through everything. I'm sure you're aware that whichever path you choose will carry massive consequences. You must decide which is more important to you-love, or duty. I know your father would say duty, but I am not going to lecture you on that. It is your decision to make, and nobody else's. Now, no more tears, okay?"

It was then that I noticed that Impa had set a decanter and a glass on the nightstand next to the bed. I poured myself some water and sipped at it.

"I'll tell your father that you are a little tired, but you will be down once you rest awhile," Impa spoke up before hugging me once more.

"Thank you so much, Impa."

"Just promise me that you will decide soon. You know you can always confide in me, but you also know that both of us can get into much trouble, should certain persons learn this information. It is best for everyone involved if you decide as soon as possible."

"I promise," I answered, looking her right in the eyes as I spoke.

Once Impa left the room, I set down the water glass and sank down on the bed, unable to shake my overwhelming feelings of shame, worry, and frustration.

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**Please review! Thank you so much!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello, everyone, and welcome to the second chapter! I was a little nervous about posting this story at first, but the wonderful reviews have put my mind at ease! So thank you to my reviewers- anonymous; NailoSyanodel; Squirt Sapphire; trevor19; LinkIsaacANDLloyd; Gir Crazy; Hououza; JackofBladesX; Sam; BluSakura.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own any aspects of the _Legend of Zelda _series.**

* * *

"Where is my lovely wife?" I heard Joachim say that afternoon as he entered the main hall, the servants dragging his baggage behind him.

"In here, darling," I called from the ballroom, where I had been with my father. We were making preparations for the Christmas Ball, which was only three weeks away. I had decided it best to play the role of doting wife until I could find a way to escape, so I could be with Link, and our child. It would always be our child in my eyes, whether Link was actually the father or not.

"Ah, there you are, my beauty," he smiled, his eyes gleaming. He came up, wrapped his arms around me, and bent me backwards, kissing my lips. I could smell perfume on him, so overwhelming my eyes were nearly watering.

"I missed you, my love," he whispered into my ear once I was standing back up.

Joachim had to bend over quite a bit to whisper to me, as I only go up to about halfway between his shoulder and his elbow, and that is when I'm wearing heels. He is tall and strong, with broad shoulders and long, muscular limbs. He has short hair, black as the night sky, along with gray eyes and olive skin. Had the circumstances been different, perhaps I could've fallen for him; I could easily see why other women have, at least from looking at him. But I was the one stuck marrying him; women who have only shared his bed, and not seen how he is usually, have no idea what it's like to live with him.

Link, however, looks nothing like him. Link is...the most handsome man I've ever had the fortune to lay eyes upon. He is not that tall, but tall enough that my head fits securely under his chin when he is comforting me. His long, golden hair is typically tied back in a low ponytail, with some wisps hanging in his bright cerulean eyes. His tanned skin emphasizes the contour of his muscles, though they are often masked under his clothes. He is lean, but very strong; his sinewy limbs often mislead people into thinking he is weak, only to be surprised.

I am thankful to be the only woman that gets to see Link in his true form. I still remember the first time I saw him disrobed. I had walked in on him by mistake while he was preparing for a bath, and I could neither tear my eyes away nor speak for several moments. And the fact that he didn't yell at me for seeing him undressed, or try to show off his assets, made me love him all the more.

_Oh, what the thought of Link does to me! I wish it was him here with me right now, instead of Joachim. The things I would-_

"Zelda, are you quite alright?" Joachim asked, interrupting my thoughts.

"Oh, oh, yes, fine," I stammered, blinking a few times before looking at him.

"Well, I'll let you two lovebirds alone. Zelda, you can come help me some more this evening," my father said. "I know you two have...things to attend to. And that you, Zelda, have something very important to tell your husband."

I dare not resist as Joachim took my hand and led me upstairs to our bedroom. But I did put up a fight when he expected something from me after being gone.

"Come on, Zelda, what are you so afraid of?" he asked me, patting the bed next to him. "I won't bite, I promise. Come now, tell me what I can do to ease your mind."

"You can't do anything," I sighed.

"What's that?"

"Nothing, it's just...look, Joachim, it's not you, it's me, alright? I know what you want, and I know it is my wifely duty to satisfy you in...that way. But I just do not feel comfortable."

Joachim raised his eyebrows. "Darling, let me help you relax. We have not made love in six weeks. I know that you and I probably have different needs, but really, there is nothing to fear. I understand that you were scared our first time. Remember, it was my first time, too, so I know the feeling."

_I highly doubt both parts of that last statement_, I thought, biting my tongue to keep from saying something foolish.

"But I wish to please you, my love. And I hope you will put your desire to please me over your fears. From what I have heard, the more we do it, the more comfortable we'll feel," he continued.

"I just...I don't know about this," I said, trying to hide my feelings of resentment. He talked as if he really did not care about how I felt, but was trying to make it seem he did.

"Look, Zelda, I love you very much. I understand your discomfort, but promise me you will at least come sit on the bed with me and let me help put you at ease. If you do not wish to be intimate with me right now, that is fine; I cannot force you. But you cannot keep running away from your wifely duties. You know it is your job to listen to me, as I am your husband. I feel I am doing you a favor by not forcing myself on you."

_How dare he!_ I screamed in my mind. But I decided I'd best play along.

"Alright, I suppose there's no harm in sitting on the bed with you," I conceded.

"Good girl," he smiled slyly, his eyes locked on me as I crawled onto the bed.

We spent the next several minutes talking. Every time Joachim would attempt to move closer to me, I would recoil instinctively. When I did so, he would simply grin knowingly at me, apparently thinking I was simply trying to be coy.

"So, your father said you have something important to tell me," he finally brought up as I resisted his advances yet again.

I stared down at the floor awkwardly, refusing to meet his gaze. "Yes, well, I know that, as your wife, I am expected to submit to you. But I'm just not ready for that. After all, I am only eighteen-barely of legal age. And getting married to you occurred so quickly that I still have trouble wrapping my mind around being a wife, much less being a lover."

"Well, darling, it is too late to change things now. If you are to bear any heirs, we will have to be intimate at some time," he said, lifting my chin to make me look at him. "Once may not have been enough, even for someone as manly and fertile as me," he boasted.

I again had to bite my tongue. He was acting exactly as I expected, and I had yet to reveal my pregnancy to him!

"I'm perfectly aware of that. But I am not sure I'm ready to be a mother yet."

"Don't be so foolish, Zelda. Your father would be ashamed to hear such talk. You owe it to him, me, and this kingdom to do what you can to bear children," Joachim said angrily, suddenly standing up.

"I am not saying that I do not want to have children. I just do not understand why we have to be in such a hurry to create an heir," I answered, trying to sound calm. Never mind the fact that I'm already expecting a child, since it is probably not his, anyway.

"Because it is our royal duty!" Joachim growled. "As future king and queen of this kingdom, we are responsible for producing heirs to carry on the Hylian throne. Are you willing to let the royal bloodline end and let the kingdom be taken over by someone from another family, just because you are unwilling to submit to your husband, like a real woman?" he shouted, his eyes blazing with anger.

My eyes widened in terror as I watched him raise his hand to me. I screamed and hid my face, peering out from a small space between my arms.

He suddenly let his hand fall slack. "You would be wise to listen to me. Maybe you are used to getting your way, but I will not tolerate it," he hissed. He then turned around and left the room.

I curled up in a ball and cried for some time. Seeing how he reacted just now, there was no way he could ever find out about my affair with Link.

Link...that's what I needed. I needed to find Link. But first I would have to find my father and tell him of Joachim's anger problem.

I got up with a sigh. As I washed my tear-stained face, I silently prayed that, for once, my father would believe his only child over a man that nearly slapped her.

* * *

"Zelda, that is absolutely ridiculous," my father claimed. "You have some nerve, accusing your husband and the future king of abusive behavior." 

"But, Father..." I objected.

"But nothing!" he practically shouted. "If he hit you, as you say, where is the mark?"

"I told you, Father. He raised his hand to hit me, but did not actually follow through with it."

"So then he is not abusive."

"Father, you just don't get it! Doesn't the very fact that he was so close to slapping me concern you at all? Imagine if we have an argument over an issue even more significant! What is to stop him then from slapping me?"

"Don't be silly, Zelda."

"I am hardly being silly. I am being honest, and attempting to make a valid point."

"Well, you are failing miserably," my father said matter-of-factly.

"There you go again, refusing to believe your own daughter!" I screeched, somehow resisting the urge to stamp my foot in anger.

"Don't you dare start that again! You know very well that what you say is not the truth. You are only bringing this up because you do not want to perform your wifely duties!" he shouted back at me. "Joachim informed me earlier of the problem between you two. And as your father, I am commanding you to submit to your husband."

I was rendered absolutely speechless. Hot tears stung my eyes and rolled down my cheeks. I expected my father to not believe me, but this was a new low, especially for him.

"Well, for your information, I hate my husband!" I finally choked out in between sobs. "You always take his side, because you are too blind to see that he does not really love me, regardless of what he says. I can just sense it. All he wants to do is bed me, and keep up this stupid charade as long as it takes for him to become King of Hyrule. But by the time you realize that he is unfit to be married to me and rule this wonderful kingdom, I fear it will be too late."

Not waiting for my father to respond, I stormed out of the room. I hurried upstairs and was relieved to find that Joachim had not returned to our bedroom. Locking the door, I began to pack some of my things into a burlap sack. I needed to get away from the situation as soon as possible, and the only way to do that would be to sneak out. I didn't plan to leave forever, but I figured that if I was away for even just one night, perhaps my father would come to his senses.

Besides, I needed Link. I needed to be in his comforting arms. I craved more than intimacy with him at that moment-I needed reassurance that no matter the circumstances, he would always love and be there for me and our child.

I stuffed my nightgown into the top of the sack and closed it up. Then I slipped on my hooded cloak before slinging the sack over my shoulders. I neither set up the bed to make it appear that I was sleeping there, nor left a note in the bedroom. At that point, I didn't care what my father and husband thought about me leaving so suddenly.

Just as I was about to enter the secret passage, Impa emerged from it. "Princess, what are you doing?" she gasped, half-surprised, half-angry.

"Shh, not so loud!" I said. "I'm going away for the evening. Joachim nearly hit me, and when I tried to tell Father about it, he of course did not believe me, and we had a huge fight."

Impa's countenance immediately changed into one of concern and sympathy.

"Don't you worry about things here. I'll tell your father and husband that you went to visit Malon," she said, referring to my best friend, who owns a ranch with her husband. Malon had given birth to their child not too long ago, so she and I didn't get to see each other very often, especially since her husband is a soldier and often has to leave town for days at a time, leaving her to care for their baby and the ranch.

I thanked Impa for helping me, then gave her a hug before departing. As I made my way through the secret passages, I couldn't tear my thoughts away from Link. I actually did want to visit Malon, but that could wait until morning. For now, I needed to be with my lover.

I entered the courtyard and snuck past the guards and off the grounds. I had their routine memorized, making it easy to leave without once being spotted. Fortunately, Malon had given me a horse that was trained to hide out in Hyrule Field until I summoned him, which I did. I mounted him, and we were quickly on our way to the Kokiri Forest.

Once we arrived, I dismounted him, leaving him to graze happily with Link's horse, Epona. I entered the woods and made my way easily to Link's treehouse, as all the Kokiri were inside for the night.

I climbed the ladder and quietly pushed past the curtain. Link was supposed to be living at the castle, protecting myself and my family, but upon marrying me, Joachim had insisted that Link didn't need to be there, and would probably be more comfortable living in the forest home of his childhood. And, of course, my father agreed. Although I hate not having Link at the castle, at least I have a place of refuge.

I saw Link asleep on his side on the small bed, facing the window. The soft moonlight shone down on him, and I drew a deep breath at how handsome and peaceful he looked. I thought about leaving without waking him, but promptly reminded myself that I didn't go all the way there just to watch him sleep for a moment.

I gently set my things on the floor, then tiptoed over to the bed. I could hear him stir a little, and he rolled onto his other side, facing me, as if he could sense my presence. Which he most likely could, knowing him.

I bent over and gently kissed his lips. Instead of starting awake, he slowly opened his eyes and looked up at me. "I thought I knew those footsteps," he murmured. "I've been expecting you, my love."

"Oh, really," I whispered. "Whatever for?"

"Just call it a feeling," Link grinned. "I knew you couldn't possibly stay away from me for that long," he teased.

"You're absolutely right," I returned his smile as he climbed out of bed. My grin widened as I noticed he was shirtless.

His lips met mine in a fiery kiss, as his hands went to my cloak. He slid the hood off and untied the cloak, letting it fall to the floor.

I began to run my hands over his chiseled muscles, causing him to groan. He reached behind me and loosened the ties on my dress, gently sliding it off of me.

We quickly shed our clothing and crawled under the covers, spending the next few hours satisfying our carnal cravings for each other.

* * *

**Please review! A huge thank you!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello again! I honestly did not expect it to take me so long to update, but I've been through so much in the last month that my heart just hasn't been in it. Anyway, without further ado, here is chapter three. Thanks to my reviewers since my last update- Gir Crazy; BluSakura; LinkIsaacANDLloyd; pinguinolatino; Hououza; NailoSyanodel; JackOfBladesX; Tower; Fai-chan; romancelvr; and Mentalnobaka.**

**Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the _Legend of Zelda_ series, in whole or in part.**

* * *

I awoke in Link's arms the next morning. As I stretched, I felt him begin to stir.

"Good morning, my love," he whispered, pushing my hair aside to nuzzle his face into my neck and gently kiss it.

"Good morning," I murmured dreamily.

I hadn't gotten much sleep the night previous, as Link managed to...keep me quite busy. I wanted to go back to sleep, but when I rolled over to face Link, I got quite a shock when I noticed that the Sun had already risen well above the horizon.

"Oh, no!" I exclaimed. "I cannot believe that I slept so late!"

I started to get up, but Link stopped me. "Zelda, please, don't go," he begged me. "Remember what you told me last night, about your father, and your...husband," he hissed the last word. "You said you didn't care what they thought about your leaving. Please, my love, don't go back, at least not yet. Not until I can come along to protect you."

"You don't understand, Link. I completely forgot that I was supposed to meet with some visitors from Kakariko. They are probably there already, wondering why the Princess of Hyrule had the audacity to slight them!" I explained hurriedly, freeing myself from his arms to get up and dress.

"Zelda," Link began to protest, but he interrupted himself when I looked him in the eyes.

"I'm so sorry, Link. I'm sorry that we have to sneak around like this, and I'm sorry to leave in such a rush. But I promise you, once I figure out a way to get rid of Joachim for good, nothing will stop us from being together, with our child," I said, pulling my petticoats over my hips.

"I know that, Zel," he sighed, getting up to help me tie on my corset. "I just hope it's soon. The longer you stay with him, the more dangerous things become for you. You must find a way to convince your father that you are being truthful. I have no doubt that your father loves you, but the way he has treated you lately concerns me as much as Joachim's actions yesterday. Promise me that you will do whatever you can to avoid being alone with Joachim as much as possible, even if it means sneaking out of the castle to stay with me every night, until you can leave for good. You know I'll always be here to protect you and our baby."

"Thank you so much, my love," I told Link, turning around to kiss him once I finished dressing.

He slid his tongue into my mouth, and I nearly gave myself to him again right then and there.

"I love you," he whispered once we pulled apart. "Don't you ever forget that." He then kneeled down before me and lightly kissed my belly. "And I love you, too, little one. I can hardly wait to meet you."

"We love you, too," I smiled down at him and helped him back to his feet, giving him one last kiss.

I left without looking back, knowing that doing so would only make me cry.

* * *

I walked to the outside of the castle the normal way, stopping at the drawbridge and telling the guards that I had been perfectly safe and had stayed at Lon Lon Ranch for the night to help Malon care for her sick baby. I instructed them not to let on to my presence before I casually crossed the drawbridge and walked down the remainder of the path, then entered the massive doors at the front of the castle, which opened into the main room. I strolled across the thick carpet as if I hadn't snuck out for the night to be with Link and to hide out from Joachim. 

I reached a set of double-doors and was about to open them, but stopped when I heard voices. Straining to hear them, I put my ear to the door and recognized them as my father's and Joachim's.

"So did my daughter share her news yesterday?" my father asked.

Uh-oh. This cannot be good.

"Yes, sire, she did indeed."

"Then I believe that congratulations are in order for you and Zelda."

"How so?"

"Didn't she tell you the good news?"

"Sire, she did tell me something, but it is hardly worth congratulating. It seems that my beautiful wife is not ready for children yet. I thought you told me before I proposed to her that she was quite fertile and would welcome the chance to have children with me as soon as we were married."

I could hear my father gasp and imagine the look on his face.

"I don't understand. Is that what she told you? That is not possible."

"Then I believe I do not understand either, Your Highness. Please enlighten me."

"You see, Joachim, Zelda is with child. She told me so yesterday."

Oh, great. Now I am really in for it!

"Oh, is that so. Then I guess my virility did indeed show itself on our wedding night."

"You impregnated her on your wedding night? Wonderful! My, have you done your job well."

"I must have, sire, for she has hardly let me touch her since then. I have not had the opportunity to plant my seed within her since that night."

"Oh, dear. Is that what this is all about? I believe my daughter must be suffering from the hormonal fluctuations of pregnancy. My wife also pushed me away early on, because she was so dreadfully ill from the internal bodily changes. But if that is the case, then trust me when I say that once my daughter starts to feel better, you will not be able to escape her loving grasp."

"Oh, really," Joachim said slyly.

_Oh, gosh, I'm going to be sick_, I thought, swallowing hard. Thankfully, the feeling went away. Impa had already told me all about morning sickness, including the fact that it does not occur only in the morning. Just great.

"Zelda, are you okay?" I heard a voice. I gasped in surprise and whirled around. Much to my relief, it was Malon, my best friend.

"Oh, Malon, I'm so relieved to see you," I said, hurrying over to hug her, but taking care not to crush her daughter, Eliza, who she was cradling in her arms. "Joachim just found out that I'm pregnant."

Malon's eyes went wide. "Zelda, you're pregnant? Congratulations!"

"Thanks, but there's a problem." I lowered my voice. "I think it's Link's baby," I whispered to her. "He and I have been having an affair since long before I even met Joachim. And Joachim and I have only had relations one time."

"Oh, Zelda," Malon said in a worried tone. "I'm so sorry. What a mess you must be in."

"You don't know the half of it," I sighed. "Joachim nearly hit me yesterday. I didn't want to tell him about the pregnancy just yet, but I overheard him and my father talking just now, and my father revealed it."

"Impa said she needed me to come over here right away. I'm guessing it has something to do with that?"

"Yes. You see, I tried to tell my father that Joachim raised his hand to me, but he of course took Joachim's side again. I was so scared and frustrated that I snuck out of the castle to be with Link, at least for the sake of getting away for the night. Impa promised that if my father and/or Joachim asked questions, she would say I went to visit you. And I told the guards when I got back this morning that I was away the entire night to help you care for Eliza."

"Don't worry, Zelda. I'll gladly play along. And if you ever feel threatened by your husband again, you can come stay with me for as long as you want." We had been whispering somewhat, but she leaned closer and lowered her voice to an almost inaudible level. "I know you and Link have been lovers for quite some time, but I don't think it would be safe for you to stay with him for an extended period of time before you legally separate from Joachim."

"You're right," I answered. "I've been so out-of-sorts since last night that that didn't even occur to me. Thanks for your help, Malon."

"Anytime, Zelda."

Eliza started to fuss a little, so Malon shifted her slightly. She continued to squirm and reached up, trying to tug Malon's hair.

"Okay, okay, I can take a hint," she chuckled. "Do you mind holding her for a moment while I get her bottle ready?"

"Not at all," I smiled, holding out my arms to take Eliza.

As I held the infant, I couldn't help but think about how in a few months, I would be holding my own baby. Mine and Link's.

Eliza gently smiled and cooed as I looked down into her big blue eyes. Although she was just barely starting to grow hair, I could tell it would a fiery red, like Malon's. I bet she'll have her parents' courage and intelligence, too. Malon has been taking care of her ranch for two years, ever since her father took ill, and her husband, Sir Stefano, is a knight. The two of them, upon marrying, could've moved into a wing of the castle reserved for the knights and their families, but they chose to remain at the ranch.

I passed Eliza back to Malon to be fed. Just as we started down the hall to go speak with Impa over things, the double-doors opened, and my father and Joachim emerged.

"Good morning, Your Highness. Prince Joachim," Malon said coldly, doing her best to curtsy while still holding Eliza.

"Good morning," they murmured before Joachim took two large steps toward me. I recoiled instinctively, but he managed to sweep me up in his arms, forcing his lips onto mine.

"Oh, darling, your father just revealed to me that you are with child! How come you did not tell me before?"

"Because I wanted to wait for the right time," I insisted. That was true-I wanted to wait for the right moment to reveal that I was carrying Link's child. Preferably after Joachim and I are on our way to divorce.

I said a hasty good-bye to Malon as Joachim took my hand and practically dragged me upstairs to our bedroom. Once we were inside, he locked the door behind us.

"When are you due, love?" he smiled forcefully, placing his hand on my belly.

"In about 34 weeks," I answered, glaring at him.

"Well now, what shall we do with you until then?" he chuckled. "Now that we have a little one on the way, you can't very well go about with your normal business. You'll have to be extra-careful."

"I know that," I muttered under my breath after looking down. I cleared my throat and looked back up at him. "I realize that, but please remember that I have certain royal duties to attend to," I told him, trying to come across as sweet as possible. "Please don't worry yourself. I will be fine."

"Of course I will fret over you and our child. I've worked very hard to get to this point, and I don't want to lose an heir to the throne."

"Or heiress," I added.

"Don't be foolish," he said dismissively. "You know women aren't meant to run kingdoms. They are meant to support their husbands in all endeavors, to run the household, and to bear children."

"Well then our children will be different," I protested loudly. "If we only have daughters, eventually one of them will be queen."

"Zelda, that is ludicrous," Joachim said in a very demeaning tone. "Even you yourself could not rule this country. Just ask your father. He practically begged me to marry you, so that a man could take his place." He lowered his voice. "You weren't exactly the finest catch, but I have come to love you since we married," he grinned.

"How dare you!" I screamed. I turned to walk away, but he caught me by the wrist and held tight.

"Don't you dare think for a second that just because you are pregnant, I will not punish you for your insolence," he hissed, raising his hand to me again. I cried out, but this time he didn't stop. "I'll show you to sass me with your tongue," he whispered, giving me a callous look. My eyes locked on his hand as it neared me.

I closed my eyes and attempted to block my face, but he was still holding me fast. I felt a sharp pain in my cheek as his hand made contact with it. My eyes welled with hot tears as he finally let go of my wrist. My legs buckling, I crumpled to the floor.

He stood over me for a moment as I tried to regroup, my tears splattering on the rug. My cheek still burning hot from the impact, I took several deep breaths in an effort to calm myself.

At long last Joachim walked away. I heard the door slam behind him and finally regained my composure. I reached for the bed post, which I was fortunate not to hit my head on when I fell, and gripped it tightly. As I only really had the use of one hand, since my wrist was still throbbing from Joachim's viselike grip, it took me a moment or two, but I managed to pull myself back up into a standing position.

I flopped onto the bed, exhausted from my efforts and from the terror instilled in me by the man who had the audacity to call himself a husband and prince. I curled into the fetal position and could feel the tears start to fall again, but I stopped. I resolved that I wasn't going to waste my tears on someone like him. I sat there, lost in thought, ruminating ways to make my escape from Joachim for good.

_I'm going to find a way out of here before it's too late,_ I decided. _And neither my father nor Joachim will stop me.

* * *

_

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	4. Chapter 4

**Hello, and welcome to chapter four! I was hoping to have this out sooner, but I've been working on updates for my other stories, and finally got to work on this today. I have made some important decisions in regards to the direction of the story, and they will play out in the next few chapters, beginning with this one. Thanks to my reviewers- BluSakura; JackofBladesX; Ygfi; Berlin's Brown Eyes; Hououza; The Bow and Arrow Sisters; GirCrazyl; Mentalnobaka; LOnNiE; and AstROnAut.**

**Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own any aspects of the _Legend of Zelda_ series.**

* * *

"Oh, my gosh, Zelda, what happened?" Malon screeched upon opening the door to her house.

When she heard the shock in her mother's voice, Eliza began to cry. As Malon let me in, Sir Stefano went and scooped up Eliza, taking her upstairs.

"Joachim happened," I sobbed. "He grabbed my wrist when I tried to walk away from him, and then he slapped me. He said that my pregnancy wouldn't prevent him from 'punishing' me."

"Did you tell your father?"

"Of course not. He would never believe me. I summoned Impa, though, and she helped me pack my things and escape. She's going to tell my father and Joachim that I had a vision and had to go into town for a couple days to meet with the other five Sages, and that she'd be leaving in the morning to join us. Once she and I meet up in the morning, we're going to see about getting annulment proceedings started."

"Do you really think the justices will grant you an annulment?"

"I hope so. Joachim and I have only been married for six weeks, and if I can make it so that it was as if our wedding never occurred, then he will have no claim to the throne."

"Oh, Zelda, I hope it all works out. Then you and Link can finally be together, and raise your child," Malon proclaimed.

"Yes, with any luck, my efforts to annul my marriage will be successful. I don't know how I will be able to explain things to the kingdom, as I don't want my affair with Link exposed. But I guess all I can do now is tell the truth."

"Well, how about you let me make you up a bed? You need a good night's rest."

"I appreciate the offer, Malon, but I must find Link."

"He's not at the treehouse. He said something about going away for the night to think over things. I'm sure he's plotting to rescue you, as he has no idea of what happened within the last few hours."

"I'd best make quick work of finding him, then. And I think I know just the way to do it."

Malon raised her eyebrows. "How's that?"

I pulled up the sleeve of my cloak to reveal the back of my right hand. As I did so, Malon happened to catch a glance of my injured wrist, and cringed.

"I can't believe that Joachim did that to you," she muttered angrily.

"Let's not discuss that now. See this?" I asked her, showing her the mark of the Triforce. "Link has one, too. Impa once told me that the earliest holders of the Triforce were able to communicate telepathically, once the mark appeared on the back of their hands. I dismissed it as a silly urban legend, but I'm desperate now. Perhaps I will be able to contact Link. It's certainly worth a try."

"Yes, it is indeed. Can I do anything to help you contact him?"

"Do you have a quiet place I can go? I need absolute concentration if I have any hopes of this working."

"Sure. Follow me," Malon answered.

She led me down the hallway to where she and her husband had added on to the ranch's main building, which acted as their home. She opened a door at the end of the hall, revealing a small study.

"Take as much time as you need," she told me. "As you can see, this room is a fair distance away from the main part of the house. Stefano often comes in here when he has work to do and doesn't want to be distracted by Eliza crying."

"Thank you so much, Malon," I hugged her.

"Of course, Zelda. Anything to help you."

With that, Malon left the room, closing the door quietly behind her. I sat at the table in the center of the room and placed my right hand on it. Concentrating hard, I stared at the Triforce symbol on the back of my hand, as I really didn't know what I was supposed to do.

I was so focused on trying to figure out what to do that I didn't realize how strong I was gripping the table. I saw the Triforce mark begin to glow, and was so surprised that I grasped the edge of the table even harder. A sudden, sharp pain shot through my wrist, nearly causing me to cry out. I bit my lip and did my best to ignore the pain as I kept my eyes riveted on the glowing symbol.

Then all went black.

* * *

_I approached the lake and found Link seated atop a massive rock jutting out high over the water, like a cliff. He baited his makeshift fishing pole before casting the line into the lake. It landed with a splash, the ripples it caused reaching the shore._

_I carefully scaled the rock face and seated myself beside Link. He turned to me, and although it was his face I saw, something about it didn't seem quite right. His eyes were glowing a bright red._

_"Hello, Princess," he said in a voice not his own, smiling maliciously as he dropped the pole._

_I started and recoiled from him, but he grabbed my wrist in the exact same spot where Joachim had gripped it. His grip felt like Joachim's, except that it was cold as ice._

_"Now to be done with you, so that you cannot play spoiler to my plans yet again," he hissed. My eyes widened in horror as Link morphed into...him._

_My screams went unanswered as he lifted me over his head, using all his strength to throw me down into the lake.

* * *

_

I awoke with a start. Immediately I looked at my hand, and noticed the Triforce symbol had stopped glowing. But before I became angry, I realized that I knew exactly where Link was. Lake Hylia.

I took a moment to regroup from my vision before leaving the room to thank Malon. If my vision was a premonition, I had no time to waste. I bid good-night to Malon and her family before leaving the house. Once outside, I took a magical instrument out of a pocket in my cloak. By playing a short tune, I was able to warp to the Water Temple, at the bottom of Lake Hylia.

Upon arriving, I drew a deep breath before exiting the temple and quickly swimming to the surface. I coughed and sputtered as I swam to shore, having just barely been able to hold my breath long enough. Making as little noise as possible, I wrung out my clothing before trudging onto the shore.

I crept through the thick, long grass until I came to a small cliff made of rock formations. I looked up at the top and saw a flash of green, mixed with a flash of red.

"What have you done with my wife?" I heard Joachim proclaim angrily.

"I haven't done anything! I know not where she is or why she even left the castle in the first place!" I then heard Link answer.

I snuck over to another thick patch of grass and crouched down. I had a much better view, and I could clearly see Joachim gripping Link by his tunic and holding him a foot above the ground. As strong as Link was, he was no match for Joachim at that moment, especially since Link was unarmed.

I gasped at the site, then instinctively covered my mouth, praying that I hadn't been heard. Joachim looked around as if sensing my presence, but then turned his attention back to Link. "I say you are hiding my wife," Joachim growled.

"I'm not, I promise. I have neither seen nor spoken to her since the king asked me to accompany her and Impa to town three days ago, while you were away. Once the princess and Impa finished running their errands, I escorted them back to the castle and left, getting home well before nightfall," Link insisted calmly.

Luckily Link had learned how to disguise his emotions when necessary, as he neglected to give any indication of the massive lie he'd just told.

Somehow satisfied with Link's answer, Joachim let him go, and he dropped to the ground. "Fine, Peasant Boy. But if I find out you know anything regarding her whereabouts, I will have you tried and convicted for high treason, and gladly escort you to the gallows and hang you myself," Joachim said in a disgusted tone, spitting in Link's face.

Joachim clambered down the boulders and made his way down a worn path to the tree where he'd tethered his horse. He untied the rope and climbed onto his horse, grabbing the reins and cracking a whip. The horse galloped off into the night, and I could hear its hoof beats die up the road as it began to navigate Hyrule Field.

Instead of climbing down to ground level, Link simply dove into the water. I couldn't blame him, considering how warm and humid it was for that time of year. Thick clouds scudded across the night sky, blotting out the stars and partially blocking the soft glow of the full moon.

My eyes focused on Link as he emerged from the lake, his clothes soaked and his golden hair plastered to his gorgeous face. I watched, spellbound, as he began to remove his wet garments, wringing some of the water out of them before laying them out across a rock to dry.

He started with his tunic, and his undershirt came next, followed by his boots and stockings. As he began to unbuckle his belt, I couldn't bear it anymore. I snuck up to him, then came out of hiding.

Link gasped in surprise, but his look of shock turned into one of happiness as I removed the hood of my cloak. He came over and hugged me tightly, then lifted me up and spun me around.

"Are you okay, Zel?" he asked once he set me down.

"Yes, except for this," I answered, showing him the wound on my wrist.

"I'll kill him," Link said angrily.

"Link, please. Calm down."

"Why should I?"

"Because I don't want to lose you. I want our child to grow up with a father."

Link sighed. "I'm sorry, Zel. I just don't know where he gets off calling himself a man, when he does this to you."

"I know, Link, but listen. Impa and I are going to meet up tomorrow to get the annulment process started. If we can work things out, then my marriage with be annulled, and Joachim will no longer have any claim to the throne."

"I'm glad, Zel," Link said, looking into my eyes. "And then you and I can finally marry and raise our child together. Just the way it should be, my love."

"Yes, Link, just the way it should be," I agreed. "But, you know, it's just the two of us right now, with the whole rest of the night ahead. However will we pass the time?"

"I can think of a few ways, darling," Link grinned, his eyes gleaming.

I took that as a sign that he wanted exactly what I did at that moment. My hands went to his firm upper body and began to graze over every ripple and wave of his sculpted muscles.

"Zelda," he groaned, his hands fumbling with my cloak. He untied it, and I dropped my hands for a moment so he could slide it off. He did so, and promptly spread it out on the ground.

"We have to have something to lay on," he explained.

Once he stood back up, we shared a deep kiss as I reached down to finish unbuckling his belt for him.

He tugged down his breeches and kicked them off, then picked me up and laid me gently on the cloak. Kneeling over me, he kissed me again before removing my clothing. Once we were completely nude, we laid there for a few minutes, just admiring each other's bare bodies.

"Your look stunning in the moonlight, my beauty," Link whispered, running his fingers through my hair. I sat up slightly and kissed him, then leaned close to his ear.

"Make love to me," I whispered seductively.

"Of course," he whispered back.

Link laid on his back and pulled me into his lap, and we united as one. Although we were both well aware of the risk of getting caught, even in darkness, neither of us cared.

As we lay there afterwards, Link affectionately kissed my neck as his hands roamed my body. I looked at him lovingly, and happened to notice the sky was clearing, as earlier it had looked like it would rain.

"That was so amazing," I sighed dreamily, delighting in his warm, gentle touch.

"You are so amazing," he said, looking deep into my eyes and grinning broadly.

"All of this feels so...forbidden," I confessed, reaching up to touch his face. "But it is still worthwhile, to be with the man I love so much, making love under the stars."

"Absolutely," Link agreed. "I know that my being caught with you would mean death, but I care not. Regardless of what happens from this point, Zelda, I am glad that we are able to share this last night together. I am honored to have your love, and happy to give you mine.

"No matter how Joachim threatens me, I will do whatever is in my power to keep him from finding you, until I know you can be safe. And, Zelda, even when things get much harder-as I'm sure we both realize they will-I hope you take comfort in knowing that I will make any and all sacrifices necessary to get rid of Joachim. I would even go to the very depths of hell to protect you and our unborn child from that monster. I love you."

"I love you, too," I whispered softly, wiping the tears from my eyes.

With that, Link and I got up and dressed.

"Where to now?" I asked him.

"Well, we can't very well go to my place. Surely Joachim expects you to go there and has already set a trap for us," Link said wisely.

"You're right," I agreed, looking around. I spotted a small cave several feet away, carved into a hill. "How about we stay there?" I gestured towards it. "Joachim was here already, and I hardly think he would be smart enough to return. Knowing what a coward he is, he probably went back to the castle for the night and made up some lie about why he stopped searching for me, or else he is biding his time by spending it with another woman."

"In that case, let's stay in the cave. Because as long as we have each other tonight, I don't care that I don't have a bed. Not like I'm not used to it, anyway."

"And not like we'll get much sleep," I giggled, prompting him to look at me wide-eyed. "Not like we're both not used to that," I laughed.

"True enough," he chuckled in agreement.

We made our way to the cave, and Link investigated it to make sure it was safe before we set up a makeshift bed. He laid the cloak out on the cave floor, while I fetched my lantern, which I'd doused and hidden upon arriving at the lake earlier. Once I found it, I brought it into the cave and lit it.

Even though it was beginning to get chilly, we couldn't risk starting a fire, and having someone see the smoke. But, fortunately, we had body heat to keep one another warm. Link and I laid on our sides on the cloak, facing each other. As we kissed good night, our desire to be close overtook us once more, and we ended up becoming one with each other again.

As we settled down from our passionate interlude, I snuggled closer to Link, and he gently kissed behind my ear before nuzzling his face into my neck. "Good night, beautiful. I love you," he whispered. "You, too, my precious little baby," he added, patting my belly.

"We love you, too, Link," I answered sleepily, stifling a yawn. I turned over to face him, and we shared a long good night kiss. He put out the lantern, and we fell asleep in each other's arms.

* * *

**Please review! Thank you so much!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Yay, another update! I made this chapter about three pages longer than usual. This originally was going to be the last chapter, but I decided to go a bit more detailed with the fluff at the end, and split the chapter into two. However, the next chapter will most likely be the last. I already started working on it, but am going to go back and add more detail to what I have. But enough of my rambling! Enjoy! And thank you to my reviewers-BluSakura; Kentoushi87; The Bow and Arrow Sisters; Zelink-luvr; and Vortex The Pangolin.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the _Legend of Zelda_ series, in whole or in part.**

* * *

I awoke in Link's arms, shivering slightly. My movement woke him, and he instinctively pulled me closer. 

"Good morning, my love," he whispered, kissing me.

"Mm, good morning," I whispered back, sighing with happiness.

He rolled onto his back, and I laid my head on his chest as he ran his fingers through my hair. "Zelda, I want you to listen carefully. I know you and I happened to escape Joachim for one night, but what now? We can't hide out forever, especially not with you carrying a baby. Although you're not that far along yet, I don't want to constantly uproot you by moving from place-to-place."

"I don't know what to do, Link," I mumbled into his chest. "But I'm supposed to meet with Impa in town this morning. I guess all we can really do is see if the justices are willing to grant me an annulment, and go from there. In fact, I'd better get up now, and get moving. I don't want to keep Impa waiting."

Link and I hurriedly got up, and I smoothed out my clothing and finger-combed my disheveled hair while he took my cloak outside to shake the dirt out of it. He lightly beat it with a stick to get some of the more stubborn patches of dirt out, before bringing it back inside to me. Had it not been so chilly out, he probably just would've washed it in the lake, but I didn't have time to wait for it to dry.

"I love you," I told Link, grasping both of his hands in mine. I hated to part with him so soon, but the more time I spent with him, the more chance we had of being caught. "I promise, we'll see each other later, okay? And I'll fill you in on all the details."

"Okay, Zel. I love you, too," he answered, pulling me to him to hug me tightly and give me a kiss. He then knelt before me and kissed my belly. "And I love you, my little baby. I can't wait to meet you."

He stood back up and looked deep into my eyes. "I'll come find you in town later, okay? At this point, since Impa will be with you, I think it's actually safer to meet with you there than have you come to the Kokiri Forest."

"You're right," I agreed, not once breaking our gaze.

We shared one last kiss before he left the cave. "This is it," I said aloud, as I prepared to warp to the Temple of Time.

* * *

I stood before a panel of three judges, wearing white wigs and black robes, as I prepared to make my case. Impa and I had somehow talked them into meeting with us that afternoon. 

"Gentlemen, I first want to thank you for meeting with me on such short notice," I stated. "I know that as the Princess of Hyrule, I have certain leverage, but please understand something-I come here to speak from the perspective of a normal person. You see, I believe the man whom I was forced to marry is doing things that are in his best interest alone, not in the interest of benefiting the kingdom as a whole."

"Your Highness, that is quite an accusation," spoke up one of the justices. "I'm assuming you have evidence to substantiate such claims."

"Of course, sir. For starters, although Joachim is the Prince of Termina, my family has been much wealthier and more influential than his for the last several years. I believe he married me in hopes of getting his hands on some of what my father has worked so hard to attain, so that he can have the benefits of two inheritances."

As I prepared to move on to my next points, I got a little teary-eyed. I knew what I was about to say could completely destroy my reputation, but I felt I had no other choice. I drew a deep breath and began to speak again.

"I must confess something. I am with child, but more than likely not by Joachim." I happened to catch a glimpse of Impa's face, and noticed it was full of resolve; I knew she knew what I had to do. "I have been involved with another man for two years, long before I learned my father had arranged for me to marry Joachim. I thought I could come to love Joachim, but I just cannot. I love the other man very much, and have since I was seventeen. However, I am not seeking this annulment so that I can be in another man's arms. For I have proof that Joachim is a danger to myself, my child, and this kingdom.

"Joachim was recently gone for several days, and when he returned, he attempted to bed me. I know that, as his wife, I have certain duties to fulfill, but I cannot bring myself to do that with him. We did consummate our marriage, so there is a chance, albeit a small one, that the child I'm carrying is his. However, my instincts tell me that he has had not just one affair outside of our marriage, but several, for I often see strange marks on him, and can smell perfume on his clothing, perfume that does not smell like any kind that I have ever used.

"When I refused Joachim's advances, as I was too disgusted to give in, he raised his hand to me. Although he did not hit me on that occasion, he raised his hand to me again last night, when we had an argument. And he did hit me last night, on the cheek. He also gripped my wrist so hard that it caused injury; I fell to the floor once he finally let go of it, and could hardly pull myself up. In addition, I have been suffering from sudden, recurring pains in that wrist throughout the last several hours."

"Do you have evidence of this violent physical contact?" one of the justices inquired.

"Not of the slap to my cheek, as the welt seems to have faded. But I do have deep markings on my wrist," I answered as calmly as possible, pulling up my dress sleeve.

I held out my wrist before them, showing them the bruises, as well as the marks from Joachim's fingers. I heard the three of them gasp as they closely examined the wounds.

"Princess Zelda, I think I can speak on behalf of all three of us when I say that normally we do not grant annulments without both parties being present to reveal their sides," the chief justice spoke up. "But, all circumstances considered, I believe that we may be willing to make an exception. That is not to say as of yet that we will grant your request. We will need time to meet and discuss the matter in further detail. We appreciate your honesty in admitting that you have been unfaithful; although we look down heavily on adultery, the fact that you confessed to it will carry some weight in our decision.

"With that being said, we shall adjourn for the next two hours, in an effort to come to a decision. Should two hours not be sufficient, we will inform you, and decide tomorrow whether or not we will grant your request. So, until 4:00 this afternoon, the court is adjourned," the chief justice said, hammering his gavel.

* * *

I paced nervously in the hallway as I awaited the time when I would again meet with the justices. It was only a few minutes away, but it felt more like a few days. I wondered what the justices had been discussing, and how my affair with Link would affect the outcome. I fretted that, despite telling me that they appreciated my honesty in the matter, they would decide that I was nothing more than a common adulteress, and allow Joachim to divorce me. Which would mean that he would still get his hands on some of my family's fortune, and I would come out looking awful in front of my people. 

Suddenly, the double-doors opened, and Impa and myself were ushered inside. Just as I began to re-enter the courtroom, I heard someone throw open the doors leading to the outside, and saw Joachim appear, followed by my father and a throng of soldiers.

"There you are!" Joachim exclaimed. "I was so worried about you!"

He hurried over to hug me, but I managed to dodge him. Puzzled, he approached me again, and Impa quickly stepped between us.

"Not so fast, Your Highness!" she said forcefully, her red eyes glowing like flames.

"Impa, I demand to know what goes on here!" my father bellowed.

"I'll gladly tell you, Father," I answered. I swallowed the lump in my throat. It was now or never. "I came here to seek an annulment of my marriage to Joachim."

"Whatever for?" Joachim and my father exclaimed simultaneously, their faces turning red with anger.

Before I could explain, the justices themselves entered the hall, apparently drawn by the commotion. They bowed to Joachim, my father, and myself before motioning for all of us to enter the courtroom.

"We have come to a decision," the chief justice announced, once everyone was seated. "Princess Zelda, Prince Joachim, please rise."

I could feel Joachim and my father glaring at me as I stood and looked up at the justices.

"In addressing whether to grant Princess Zelda's petition for annulment, we have had a thorough discussion of the facts. Although Princess Zelda has confessed to having relations with another man, we give her credit for her honesty, and have considered that said relations began before she was aware of her engagement to Prince Joachim. We have also considered that Prince Joachim may not have fathered Princess Zelda's child, as the two of them only had relations once. Most importantly, we have considered the violence that Prince Joachim committed against Princess Zelda, evident in the marks on her wrist."

I turned to the side slightly and happened to notice that the look of anger on my father's face had become one of shock. I could tell by his expression that he was completely in shock, not only from finding out what I'd confessed to the justices, but because of the realization that I had been right about Joachim all along.

I hurriedly turned my attention back to the justices, as I could tell that they were ready to announce their decision.

"Therefore," the chief justice continued, "in the matter of annulling the marriage between Princess Zelda of Hyrule and Prince Joachim of Termina, we find in favor of the petitioner, Princess Zelda. And that is all," he proclaimed, with a hammering of his gavel.

We were dismissed from the courtroom. I thanked the justices before following Impa into the hallway, making a point of ignoring Joachim and my father. In witnessing the proceedings, the soldiers had apparently decided that I would need much protection, as they surrounded Impa and myself after pouring into the hallway.

Link suddenly entered the building. At that point, since I'd confessed to my affair, I decided that I owed it to my father to admit that it was with Link. After all, Link is the Hero of Time, and has been protecting me for the last several years, even well before we fell in love.

I ran over to Link, and he hugged me close. "I did it," I barely whispered, my eyes suddenly filled with tears. "I got the annulment petition granted. Now it will be as if I never even married Joachim, and he has no claim to the throne."

"That's wonderful, Zel," he whispered back, kissing me.

"But, Zelda...I don't understand," my father commented, approaching us. "This other man with whom you've been having relations is Link? And he is the father of your child?"

"I'm not completely sure he fathered my child, but, yes, we have had relations. I see no need in hiding it now, as I am not ashamed of being with him. He has done much more for this kingdom than Joachim could ever do. And I love Link very much."

"You call bedding you when you're married doing things for the kingdom?" Joachim explained. "I say he is nothing more than a commoner trying to climb the social ladder. He should be put to death for what he's done."

My father looked back-and-forth between Joachim and myself, still very clearly confused. "No," he finally said. "I am with my daughter on this one. If anything, Joachim, you are lucky that you can leave this kingdom with your dignity, as I see no need in telling your parents of your numerous affairs."

Joachim's jaw dropped to the floor, as did mine.

"I know the truth," my father continued. "I can tell from your behavior that you have continuously been unfaithful to my daughter. I know how people like you are-you have a mistress in every town you visit. No wonder my daughter could hardly stand the sight of you. It is unfortunate that she has had to put up with you much longer than necessary, as I was too foolish to see the light, despite all she has told me." He turned to me and continued. "And for that, my wonderful daughter, I apologize. I should have listened to you in the first place."

I was about to tell my father that I accepted his apology, when Joachim suddenly pushed through the soldiers and lunged at me.

"You wench! How dare you do this to me, and to your kingdom! You deserve to die, just like that peasant boy you've been carrying on with, when you were supposed to surrender to me!" he shouted, grabbing me by the shoulders and shaking me.

The soldiers reacted quickly and surrounded him, forcing him to let go of me. As they attempted to restrain him, he managed to get in a cheap shot on Link, knocking him to his rear on the ground.

Link scrambled up, and his left hand instinctively went to his sword, as his right hand reached out to me. "Don't you ever touch her again," he growled.

"Soldiers, throw Joachim in the dungeon!" my father commanded.

As Joachim was led away, I had the sinking feeling that this whole situation was nowhere near being over.

* * *

Upon our return to the castle, my father ordered the servants to prepare a bedroom for Link and myself to share. Link and I had already made plans to marry once Joachim was tried for abusing me. And my father had told us privately on our way back to the castle that despite our affair, he wanted the two of us to start sharing a room, so that Link could protect me and the baby at all hours. 

Thankfully the room was quickly readied, as both Link and I were exhausted. We bid everyone good night and made our way up the staircase to the second floor. Once we reached the double-doors to the room, Link suddenly scooped me up and carried me inside.

"What are you doing?" I giggled.

"Practicing for our wedding night, darling," he explained, smiling lovingly at me.

He set me gently on the bed, and I kicked off my shoes before stretching out on it, sighing deeply.

"Tired, Zel?"

"Yes," I answered sleepily, stifling a yawn.

I crawled under the covers, and Link took off his shoes before crawling in next to me. We laid on our sides, just staring at each other. He reached out to me and lightly stroked my cheek, then I took his hand and kissed it.

"I love you, Zelda," he whispered softly.

"I love you, too, Link."

We continued to stare at each other, wondering what to do. After all the times we had to sneak around to see each other, we finally had a bedroom completely to ourselves, without worrying about interruptions. Yet we just laid there like little kids in the meadow grasses, delighting in the feeling of a Spring breeze blowing through their hair.

"You know, Link, we can go to sleep now," I finally said, breaking the silence.

"I know," he answered, his eyes glittering in the moonlight.

"You don't want to, do you?" I asked him.

"Not yet."

"Then what do you want to do?" I inquired, already knowing the answer. I just wanted to hear him say it, to see if the tips of his ears would turn red, just like they did the first several times we even discussed the matter.

Link scooted closer to me, wrapping his arms around my waist and giving me a kiss before leaning in close to my ear. His warm breath tickled me as he spoke, and his words made me shiver all the more.

"I want to take in every bit of you. And now that you are all mine once again, I intend to make this a night to remember," he whispered. I could hear the desire dripping in his voice, in every syllable he uttered.

In response, I gave him a fiery kiss. He immediately deepened it, and I delighted in the feeling of his tongue exploring my mouth. I sucked on it lightly, causing him to groan.

He pulled away and turned his attention to kissing my neck and running his fingers through my hair. Wanting to do something for him, I made him stop after a few minutes, instructing him to lie on his back and close his eyes. I blew lightly into his ears, before nibbling on them. I kissed along his jaw line, then gently licked and sucked the thin patch of skin covering his Adam's Apple. His eyes popped open, and I could feel his neck muscles flexing as he threw his head back in ecstasy.

Enjoying his response to me, I tore open his tunic and undershirt and kissed his chest. Throwing the shirts aside, I swirled and flicked my tongue over his nipples before kissing down his abs, blowing and sticking my tongue into his navel.

He was writhing with pleasure, encouraging me that much more. "Zelda," he moaned, starting to lose his self-control due to the sensory overload.

I began to move lower still, but he stopped me. I looked up at him, and he gestured for me to lay down next to him. His lips and tongue began to explore my body, much like mine had his a few minutes before.

He eventually paused to look into my eyes and kiss me. Once we broke apart, I suddenly noticed how cold the room was, despite what we were doing. "Link, can you start a fire, please? It's a little chilly," I said. "Besides, I want to see you better," I added with a broad smile.

Link got up and prepared the fireplace. I stared at his nude body, thinking about all that I wanted to do to him that night. Once the fire was alight, the room began to warm up immediately. Link walked over to the bed and took my hands, helping me stand up.

"I want to see you better, too," he grinned, looking up-and-down my body.

He stepped forward and hugged me to him. With his body pressed against mine, I could feel how physically excited he was. I pulled away from him slightly, stepping sideways and pushing him onto the bed. He stretched out on his back before reaching out and pulling me down on top of him, then rolled over so we were both on our sides, facing each other.

"How is it that we've been naked for this long without doing anything?" he teased, throwing the covers back over us.

"I don't know, but I guess it's coming to an end," I responded with a giggle.

"You know it," Link's smile widened, as he moved closer to me.

I wrapped my legs around his waist, and clutched him close to me as we made love. We became so caught up in each other that we hardly cared when the fire died out, or when we had to throw off the covers to avoid getting tangled in them. We were generating more than enough body heat in our passionate encounter to care how cold the room was.

Our lovemaking lasted long into the night, and we quickly forgot how exhausted we'd been, and how concerned we were over Joachim. After tumbling over the edge for the third time that night, I collapsed onto Link, panting. After he withdrew from me, I rolled onto my back, laying amongst the pillows.

We looked at each other wide-eyed. After a few minutes of silence, we started laughing.

"I cannot believe what we did just now," Link said in a tone of amazement. "I enjoyed it immensely, but I didn't realize I had so much...energy."

"I didn't realize you had so much energy, either," I teased. "But somehow I managed to keep up with you."

"If anything, I was the one trying to keep up with you," he teased right back. "But it was a worthwhile experience, especially because we don't have to worry about getting caught. Although that's not to say that the guards patrolling the hallway didn't get an earful," he added, grinning from ear-to-ear.

"Even if they did, it's not like everyone in the castle hadn't already figured out what would happen between you and me on this night. Besides, it's a part of us expressing our love for each other, so we have no reason to be ashamed anymore. We're not exactly sneaking around now."

"True enough," Link agreed, stifling a yawn.

"Sleepy?" I asked.

"Mm-hmm," he murmured, snuggling closer to me. "We'd best get some sleep, my love."

"I suppose," I sighed.

We pulled the covers back over us and shared a good-night kiss. Link wrapped his arms securely around me, and I rested my head on his bare chest, quickly falling asleep.

* * *

**Please review! Thank you so much!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hello again! Please note that while I originally announced that this would be the final chapter, it is not. I decided to add a twist and extend the story a bit. I am aiming for eight chapters total, but I'll have to wait and see how things turn out, as I haven't decided on an ending yet. At any rate, enough of my rambling! As always, thanks to my reviewers- The Bow and Arrow Sisters; Ygfi; Ekiushi; BluSakura; Mentalnobaka; LinkxZelda100; Gir Crazy; iced tears of blue fire; QuatresG; Hououza (for two reviews); and writergurlLW (for three reviews).**

**Disclaimer: I do not own any aspects of the _Legend of Zelda_ series.**

* * *

As Link slept peacefully beside me, I stared up at the ceiling. I was so happy that we could finally be together, without having to hide anymore. Yet I was scared of what Joachim would do. Something told me that he would find a way to escape the dungeon, and I worried that I wouldn't live to see the next morning.

"Zel, are you okay?" Link asked sleepily, pulling me closer to him.

"I'll be fine," I lied.

"What's the matter?" he asked, his cerulean eyes glittering in the soft moonlight as he sat up and looked at me.

"I'm scared, Link. What if Joachim escapes?"

"Don't you worry, my love. The guards are all over the place, and I'm right here with you," he assured me. "As long as I am here, he will never lay a hand on you again. Now please, go back to sleep. We have a big day ahead of us tomorrow."

"Okay," I sighed, sitting up slightly to give Link a kiss.

"You don't sound convinced," he said.

"I'm sorry, but I just have this bad feeling."

"Well, if it helps, how about I check and make sure all the windows are secure, and that the guards aren't dozing."

"Thanks, Link."

Link climbed out of bed and put on a robe. He walked about the room, checking all the doors and windows, and investigating the dark corners of the room to make sure there wasn't anyone or anything hiding out in them. He then unlocked and opened one of the doors leading to the hallway, checking to make sure the guards were doing their job. Apparently satisfied with what he saw, he shut and locked the door.

"See, Zel, there's nothing to worry about," he said. But as he spoke, my gaze suddenly went to a shadow I'd spotted through my peripheral vision. My eyes widened as I observed that whoever was casting the shadow drew closer.

I gasped, and Link turned around just before being hit square on the head with a blunt object. He was knocked unconscious and collapsed into a heap on the floor.

Before I could gather my wits enough to scream, a hand went over my mouth. "Don't you dare," Joachim hissed. "Or I'll kill you, him, and our child right now."

I nodded, and he removed his hand from my mouth. All I could seem to do was lay there, paralyzed with fear, my eyes riveted on him.

He threw back the covers and stared at my body, with a look of lust that was enough to make me sick.

"Now I'll have what I should have had all along. And since you wouldn't cooperate before, I'll have to force you into submission," he laughed cruelly as he unbuckled his belt.

I tried to struggle against his advances, to no avail. He simply had too much physical strength. As he loomed over me, I suddenly heard Link moan, but kept quiet. I knew Link was coming around, but dare not do anything to call attention to it.

Joachim's mouth closed over one of my breasts, as he spread my legs. He sat back up and raised himself to his knees, and I squeezed my eyes shut, terrified.

Suddenly I heard the clang of metal-on-metal, and my eyes popped open. I watched as the blade of Link's sword burst through Joachim's chest, spattering blood everywhere. I nearly vomited at the sight, but managed to keep it down.

Joachim's body fell sideways onto the bed next to me, his blood spilling onto the sheets. Finally regaining my senses, I jumped up, and Link wrapped a blanket around my naked body, just as the guards burst into the room.

I shook violently as they investigated the scene and removed Joachim's body. Link held me close to him, trying to calm me. "Shh, Zelda, it's okay. It's over now."

As tears spilled from my eyes, he continued to hug me tight, before leading me to the bathtub so that we could wash off the blood.

* * *

A week passed since Joachim's death. His body had already been prepared for burial, and word had been sent to his parents. We expected them to arrive from Termina at any time in order to retrieve Joachim's body and take it home to be buried. If it had been left up to me, I would've burned Joachim's body, but I knew that his family had every right to come retrieve it and take it back home to be buried. Besides, it's not like what he did was their fault. 

As Link and I knelt before the altar at the Temple of Time, praying to the goddesses for forgiveness, a messenger from the castle informed us that Joachim's parents had arrived. We got up slowly, leaving flowers at the altar before making our way back to the castle.

I entered first, followed by the messenger, and curtsied respectfully before Joachim's parents, King Bannan and Queen Alix. I had only seen them once before, on the day I learned of my betrothal to Joachim. They had not attended our wedding, as the king had been very ill.

"I am sorry for your loss," I said quietly, as a matter of respect.

The king and queen simply nodded, still staring at the floor.

"Well, now, why don't we bring you to the chapel," my father spoke up, motioning for the king and queen to follow him.

The four of us made our way down to the chapel. Link had purposely remained outside the castle, for fear of how Joachim's parents would react.

Our footsteps echoed down the stone stairs, the only sound that could be heard, as we spoke not a word between us. We reached the massive wooden door, and I held up the lantern as my father removed the key from his pocket. He placed it in the lock and turned it slowly, his hands shaking all the while.

The door creaked open, and the four of us walked in. I used my foot to shove a stone against the corner of the door, so it wouldn't close.

My father led Joachim's parents to the coffin, while I held back. I just could not bear to see him again, although I knew he could no longer hurt me. I was already feeling an oncoming anxiety attack just from being in the room.

I sat on the stairs and took several deep breaths, trying to calm myself. I managed to keep myself from panicking, but remained seated at the base of the steps, my eyes watching the scene before me.

I could hear Joachim's parents sobbing as my father unscrewed the coffin lid and gently lifted it. As the king and queen leaned over the coffin and looked into it, they gasped.

"Is this some sort of cruel joke?" King Bannan exclaimed angrily.

"Whatever do you mean?" my father stammered.

"This isn't my son," Queen Alix wept, covering her face with her hands.

"I don't understand," my father mumbled, clearly confused.

"This man is not our son," King Bannan said. "Our son does have my black hair and my wife's gray eyes. But even with the condition of the body, I can tell this man does not have the family birthmark."

"Every man descending from the royal bloodline of Termina has a small, yet distinctive birthmark. It is a gray patch of hair just above the right ear, so small it's barely visible," Queen Alix explained through her tears.

"But I can see this man does not have it," King Bannan finished, gesturing at his gray patch.

"I see," my father said nervously. "But if this is not Prince Joachim of Termina, then who is it?"

"I know not. But I can say that since our son moved here to live with your daughter, many imposters have appeared in our kingdom, pretending that they were him. Apparently they wanted us to believe that while on one of his many diplomatic trips, our son decided to leave the princess secretly, as he had a mistress that he wished to marry," King Bannan acknowledged.

"Oh dear," my father murmured. "Zelda, dearest, please explain what has happened."

I started to shake so much that I had to grip the door as leverage just to stand up. I nervously walked over, making a point of avoiding the coffin. I really had nothing to fear, as the man in it had never been Joachim, but I knew for sure he was the man that had done so many bad things to me. For I surely would've noticed the birthmark on the real Joachim at some point, had I been aware of it before marrying the imposter.

"Please understand that this man in the coffin is the very same that I married several week ago. I annulled my marriage to him, and he died while attempting to force relations with me. I am with child, but most likely not by him.

"As for your son, I assure you that I have not had relations with him, and I know not what became of him. If he does indeed love another woman, please do not force him to marry into royalty. I beg you, please let him have his happiness.

"I am sorry that you, too, were tricked as a result of this imposter. I resolve to do all I can to find what became of your son. But please know I will not marry him, as my heart belongs to someone else."

"Thank you," Queen Alix whispered. "I think I speak for both my husband and myself when I say that I appreciate your honesty, and that when we find our son we will let him choose his own bride. It is unfortunate that it took this...pretend prince to teach us that love is more important than politics.

"I wish all the best to you, the man you love, and your child. I only wish that it had been our son whole stole your heart, as I think you would've made a wonderful wife for him. I have heard of what this other man did to you, and I assure you our son would do nothing of the sort. But I respect your wishes, and when our son is found, I will tell him personally that he has you to thank for him being permitted to marry whomever he wants. Thank you, Zelda."

"You are very welcome," I smiled for the first time since their arrival.

I shared a hug each with the king and queen, before my father permitted me to go back upstairs, so he could speak with the two of them in private.

I reached the top of the steps and immediately went to the front doors to summon Link.

"Are you sure I can come in?" he asked warily.

"I'm positive, and I will explain why in a moment," I answered, stepping out of the doorway to let him in and closing the door behind him.

I called for Impa, and she came out of the kitchen and followed us into a small parlor. Making sure the doors were closed, the three of us then sat at a table.

"What happened, Your Grace?" Impa quickly asked.

"The body does not belong to Prince Joachim of Termina. While King Bannan and Queen Alix agreed that the deceased man bears much resemblance, he lacks a certain family trait-a birthmark, seen as a patch of gray hair above the right ear."

"Who is it then? Anyone they know?" Link questioned.

"No, but they did mention that since their son came to marry me, many imposters have shown up, pretending to be him under the guise that he left me for a mistress," I explained, squeezing his hand lovingly before turning to Impa. "What do you suppose all of this means?" I asked her.

"I know not, Your Highness. But I do suppose that the only way to find out what this imposter is doing here is to find the real Prince Joachim. Even if he is dead, at least we will have cleared up this mystery and given the people of Termina some closure. Then you and Link can move on with your lives."

"And how do you propose we find the real prince?" Link inquired.

"We will figure that out soon enough. For now, let us take things as they come. We must also discover the imposter's true identity, and make sure that you are not charged with murder, Link. For if the imposter's family were to press charges, it would surely create more of a scandal, and that is the last thing we need right now."

We stopped talking upon hearing footsteps in the corridor. A moment later, my father entered, followed by King Bannan and Queen Alix.

"Your Highnesses," Link and Impa bowed respectfully as the three walked over.

"I understand you are Link, the man that is responsible for the imposter's death," Queen Alix said.

"Yes, Your Majesty," Link answered nervously, clearly unaware of what to expect.

"Thank you, Link," King Bannan said, shaking Link's hand.

"You're quite welcome," Link responded, surprised.

"I assume that the three of you have already been discussing what to do next," my father brought up.

"Yes we have, Father. We've decided to find out the imposter's real identity, and ensure that his family does not press murder charges against Link, since Link acted to protect me and our child," I explained. "And perhaps in learning as much information as possible about the deceased man, we will discover clues as to the whereabouts of the real Prince Joachim."

"Sounds logical. I suggest we start at first light tomorrow, as the Sun has already dropped below the horizon," my father commented.

The rest of us agreed, deciding to eat a hearty meal before making set plans. We headed to a small dining room, and Impa returned to the kitchen to help the servants prepare dinner.

As we ate, we tried to talk about things other than the task at hand. The king and queen asked my father many questions about Hyrule, and he in turn inquired about Termina. The last time he had been there was when he brought me there to meet Joachim.

Once the dishes were cleared, the six of us made the arrangements for the next day. My father would remain at the castle with the king and queen for the time being. Meanwhile, Impa, Link, and myself would go into town, asking around for information and looking through the town records, paying particular attention to accounts of missing persons and criminal activity.

Long after going to bed, Link and I were still awake, talking and snuggling under the covers.

"How are you feeling, Zel?" he asked, his arms wrapped securely around me.

"A bit nervous," I admitted. "What happened today was a complete shock, and while I am relieved to know that I will not be forced to marry the real Joachim-if we even find him-I am still nervous. I just have this sinking feeling that something really bad will happen, that there's much more to this than someone impersonating a prince."

"I'm worried, too, my love. But all we can do for now is just follow through with our plans for tomorrow, and see what we discover. If anything, the imposter is dead now. He can no longer hurt you or our child."

Something occurred to me at that moment, and I carefully rolled over to face him. "Link?"

"Yes, Zel?"

"How do you really feel about my having a baby?"

Link raised his eyebrows. "You know how I feel, Zel. I'm very happy to become a father."

"But..."

"But what?"

"Come on, Link. I know that there is another part to it."

Link sighed deeply, keeping his cerulean eyes locked on me. "I'm just scared, Zel. I'm so scared. I'm worried that I won't make a good father, and that your father is ashamed of us, for being intimate out of wedlock, and that the people of Hyrule will not accept the baby as an heir or heiress, because I am not royalty."

"Link, I'm worried about being not being a good mother, but I am going to give birth to this child, and love it with all that is in me. As for my father, he cannot change what has happened between us. No one can, as a matter of fact. We conceived this child out of love, and I know my father understands that, and I also know that, regardless of the circumstances, he has already accepted you as his future son-in-law.

"As for the people, this is not the first time that such a thing has occurred. And even if it were, that matters not to me. If my subjects feel that my wrongs make me or our child unworthy of the throne, I will step down. For the health, wealth, and happiness of this kingdom must come first."

"Zelda?"

"Yes, Link?"

"You are the most beautiful, intelligent, caring person I've ever met. I'm proud to be your future husband, and the father of your child. I love you."

"I love you, too, Link. Good night."

"Good night."

We shared a good-night kiss and fell asleep in each other's arms.

* * *

**Please review! Thank you so much!**


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